BRUTAL ASSAULT 2010.

12.-14.08.2010.

Army fortress Josefov, Czech Republic

Josefov military hall was once again host of greatest metal event in the Eastern Europe – Brutal Assault. About 15 000 people attended its 15th anniversary. This year there you could find most famous names in world’s metal scene from which i must mention Fear Factory, Children Of Bodom, Cannibal Corpse, Meshuggah, Hypocrisy, Sepultura…

DAY 0

We met Runa gang in Zagreb, so there was about fifteen of us, headed together to a plane at 7.30am from Zagreb to Jankomer. Very nice train ride. We arrived about 7.30pm, hardly found our place in camp and headed to press stand to get our passes, where we have faced a looooong row, after which we went to meet the festival area. Wednesday was a warm-up day, all the program was going on at small, second stage. There were mostly Cezch bands playing withouth many people watching, they were pretty good, and after them we went to take rest and prepare ourselfes for upcoming days.

DAY 1

We prepared for the rain, because weather forecasts were pretty bad, but we have woken up in heat and sun.

After breakfast, Janomer sightseeing and few beer we headed to a concert. Beginning in 12pm first festival day was opened by Disfigured Corpse who are a great grindcore band, followed by awsome Afgrund and Demonic Ressurecrion. We didn’t have a chance to see Bonded By Blood because we had to take a visit to meet and greet tent where we had arranged interview with Trail Of Tears who didn’t show up regarding „techincal problems“. We are back to The Black Dahlia Murder who have kicked ass! Great atmosphere, many people, circle pit on every song. After them Obituary and Ensiferum, pagan metal, who have surprised me with their awsome show, but also i must say they were the only band who stayed to hang out in meet and greet tent, boys are really friendly. After Ensiferum comes Gojira. I really like their lyrics which are mostly ecologically-themed, and when it comes to genre it is hard to define it. Personally i would say they are something between death, thrash, progressive and groove metal. After Gojira we are going to take a rest in meet and greet tent, while all of sudden we found out that Sepultura comes on stage, one day earlier as it was planned, so we started to run to the main stage. When it comes to them I have no bad words to say and i think they had a biggest audience, but still their golden age was with Max Cavera, although new singer Derrick Green is also a good singer, guy simply knows what’s he’s doing. So there was a time for the headliners of the evening – Fear Factory and Children Of Bodom. I don’t have anyting special to say about the Fear Factory, because i haven’t been listening to them too much privetly, but one thing that cought my eye were the girls in the front rows who started to scream at the very same moment Alexi Laiho appeared on stage. I am not A Bodom fan, but boys communicated with the audience, set the atmosphere and it was one hell of a show. After Bodoms atmosphere didn’t come down, because Gorgoroth was next. I was surprised by the amounth of people there, becuause usually everybody leaves after headliner. I think they are not something special while performing live, but maybe i’m wrong. Band i must mention are definitelly Gwar because they are totally different and they made great show. I don’t know what was more interesting – while they have done nazi Pope massacre or they cut Satan’s hand and put their genitails in Satan’s neck. I must also mention that there were litres and litres of the fake blood in the audience and yelling that they don’t want an applouse. True alien metal theatre. After them sleeping and preparations for the next day.

DAY TWO

After waking up and breakfast we hurried to hear Catamenia, Finnish melodic black metal who were everything besides black metal. Next thing that really cought my eye were definitelly Sigh, Japanese avangard black metal who have a female singer dressed as an angel in blood who owns energic and amazing growl. Necrophagist instead Mnemic is next. I must say I have expected more

from them but, i am pleased. I feel bad because i missed Ill Nino. Have already seen them at Drava Rock Fest, but there i didn’t give attention at them because i didn’t really know them at that time. This year i just passed by while they were playing and i have seen a great atmosphere, many people that are jumping or running in circle pits. Devin Townsend was today’s headliner who i have been happy to see live because they are progressive metal band i really like.

Just when the concert started, awful rain shower started to fall and people runned wherever they could to find shelter. I ran under first tent and waited rain to stop. I have heard only few songs. Second headliner was, of course, Cannibal Corpse who were expected by many. I don’t listen to them, so i can’t really judge were they good or not, but judged by the audience reaction they were amazing! Ihsahn! During them we went to see the situation in our tent, is everything wet from the rain or not. In the end we missed the whole gig. We really wanted to see them at least only because Vegard Sverre Tveitan collaborated with Emperor. I think most people expected Napalm Death who were playing in the end what doesn’t mean they were bad, they were oppsite, they were great. Vocal Mark „Barney“ Greenway was so hyper on stage. I think they satisfied everybody. After exhausting day filled with the rain we finally went to sleep and rain kept falling and falling…

DAY 3.

And here we are in the last day, sadly. Festival realy has flown throught, ended so fast. We woke up wet in wet tente and because of several problems we missed Cock and Ball Torture, because of what i feel really bad about i think they were worth of seeing. Next we have seen is Moonsorrow, band i have been listening to when i was really really young (not like i’m old now) but they left mefaint-hearted, i really expected more from them. Macabre, murder metal follows, something that i found really interesting because i haven’t seen this kind of genre before. Macabre are inspired by murders, serial killers etc. They have never changed their line-up and they, of course, sing about the murders. Something you should defintelly see just like Diablo Swing Orchestra who are something between rock, jazz and classical music. Unlike dark Macabre, Diablo Swing Orchestra have totally raised the atmosphere, people were dancing, jumping. Really great show. Band i have really expected was Dying Fetus, american death metal. I have nothing more to say than they have made a great show and had fun in meet and greet tent, talked to press what was really great. Afterthem headliners Meshuggah follow. What to say for them: great drummer, technically inovative in sound, great scenography and euphoric fans. Hypocrisy, second healiners, follow. Haven’t been listening to them privately, but i must say theykicked ass, they haven’t been forceing the new stuff, but they played also old hits and of course, many many people attented their show. My favourite follow – My Dying Bride, British doom metal. After talking and taking pictures with them, i was running to their gig. I have really listening to them since ever and they were everything i have expected. They played everything, oldest stuff and new ones.

Brutal Assault ended in melancholic words of this awsome band.

Next day was really exhausting. Packing the tent and going home while thinking about next Brutal Assault.

Photo: Elena Crnković

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